Popping by Portland via the Rockies

It's drawing to a close: my year of adventures is on its last leg!  I'm finishing it off with a car-camping road trip, with California as the final destination.

Having lived in the Rockies for the past 11 years, it didn't occur to me to stop and take photos of them on my way to the States. I'm so used to seeing them -- but they are after all part of this roadtrip. So here are a few scenes I remembered to stop for.

Still sometimes can't believe that I get to live in this awesome place...

First night on the road : Penticton. In British Columbia's Okanagan Valley, this is Canada's prime wine country and one of my favorite spots in the world.

Okanagan Lake. Our version of the Loch Ness Monster, The Ogopogo, reportedly resides in these waters. I'm thinking the Okanagan vino helps with all those sightings. Just a bit.

One of many funky vineyards, unfortunately closed for tonight.  ;-(

Aw, Canada. This sign has just been put up and it's June. Them winters can be long....


Taking a drive down Naramata Road at sunset. 

Sorry.  Last sunset photo.  ;-)

Osoyoos Valley, BC. That looks like a good rock climbing wall over there...

And I'm in the States!

Oh dear. Yep, definitely in the States.

Much of Washington State (along Hwy 97 South) resembles our Okanagan and Osoyoos Valleys.

Wouldn't mind having my mountain bike right now. 

Dry Falls, Lower Grand Coulee Canyon, Washington.  This canyon was created, at one point in far-removed time, by the planet's largest waterfall system. A good visual of the power of catastrophic floods that occurred during the last Ice Age.

Dry Falls, Lower Grand Coulee Canyon, Washington

Columbia River Gorge, Washington

Somewhere in Washington State....

Nope, I didn't sit in it. Didn't want to squash whatever colony of critters had taken up shelter in it.

Mount Adams, Washington (1227 ft)

Below, one of the most stunning drives I've EVER taken. Hwy 84 leaving Washington State, heading West towards Portland.  Unreal.  Unfortunately, there wasn't much space to stop and take photos, so you're just going to have to take my word for it.

Hello Portland, Oregon!

 Trees everywhere = beautiful downtown district... Some of Canada's city engineers could learn a thing or two about building AROUND our trees rather than tearing them down...

Powell's City of Books. A huge building full of books, woohoo!

The store's pillar is represented by the owner's choice of ''the world's 8 greatest books'': Psalms, The Whale, Mahabharata, War and Peace, A 1,000 Night and A Night, Tao te Ching, Hamlet and The Odyssey.  Each title is inscribed in the language in which it was originally printed. 

This place is so huge, they give you a fold-out map when you walk in.  City of books indeed.

By reputation, Portland is a pretty liberal, everything-goes kind of place.  Nicely summed up by these fridge magnets.

Food carts!  Alder Street was lined full of them. I chose the Lebanese one with the yummy falafel wraps.

Again, trees everywhere. 

 

Welcome to the world's smallest city park, Mill Ends Park (452 sq inches). Lovingly tended by City of Portland employees, its flowerbed is changed regularly and is planted in the median strip of a busy downtown street. Interestingly, it's also designated as the only leprechaun colony west of Ireland and holds snail races on St. Patrick's Day.


Well, I've exhausted all possible photography opportunities in this park. 
The city's unofficial motto, ''Keep Portland Weird'', is deservedly quirky. Personally, I love it.


Forest Park, a gorgeous 5,000-acre area filled with 70 miles of running, hiking and biking trails. Smack in the middle of the city, it's also the US's largest urban forest reserve. Which means Portland lays claim to one of Earth's largest parks, as well as its absolute tiniest.

Best of all, I got to catch up with my friend Matt, whom I met back in November in Granada, Spain.  A good beer from one of the local breweries and some fresh, organic food. Wicked end to a wicked day.

In the end, I found Portland to be a very clean, well-to-do city with outdoorsy, friendly people. I took my city map out three times and was asked each time if I needed help finding my way around. Portland is described in my guidebook as being full of liberal, fiercely-progressive idealists, eco-activists, outdoor nuts, vegans, and Gore-Tex rain jackets.  I don't usually feel at ease in big cities, but I kinda fell in love with the laid-back atmosphere here. It felt more like a big town than a city. Portland, I will be back!

Driving through Tillamook County, on my way to Cape Lookout campground. Gonna test out my new tent and sleeping mattress tonight. Yeehaw!

Next on my agenda : Checking out the Oregon Coast, driving Southwards and looking for potential campgrounds along the way. Spontaneity rules the day.  Thanks for reading!

Be grateful, be loved, be loving. 
xxxx